Panthers separate Wolfpack in first round of playoffs
Freshman keeper Andrew Cole saves the ball as it is shot his way. “I try to organize [the team] as much as I can and tell them where to be,” Cole said. “I always have the best view of the field.”
April 27, 2018
The Starr’s Mill Panthers soccer team entered the first round of the GHSA state playoffs as the No. 1 seed for Region 3-AAAAA, and faced Woodland Stockbridge, the No. 4 seed from Region 4-AAAAA. The Mill came out victorious, defeating the Wolfpack 3-0.
Panther fights a defender for the ball. The Mill defeated the Woodland Stockbridge Wolfpack 3-0 in the first round of state playoffs. The team advances to the Sweet Sixteen and will play against Thomas County Central, the No. 2 team in the 1-AAAAA region, at home on May 2 at 5:30 p.m.
The goals throughout the game came from senior Sam Pompeo, sophomore Will Anong, and junior Ryan Shanahan. The Panthers had many offensive pushes that were challenged by Woodland Stockbridge who had nearly as many offensive runs. Freshman keeper Andrew Cole had multiple saves that helped the Panthers remain victorious.
“I was always keeping a positive mindset,” Cole said. “Making sure the team kept going at it, never let down even if we were up two or three goals.”
In the first twenty seconds, Pompeo scored the first goal of the night. After pulling the keeper out of the goal, he had a clear shot on goal and hit the center. However, just minutes later, Pompeo was pulled out of the game for the rest of the night with a sprained ankle.
With one of the team’s leading scorers hurt, the Mill kept up their intensity with offensive runs. The Wolfpack pushed the Panthers back and had many offensive runs as well. Although both teams pushed to the goal and kicked the ball back and forth across the field, no other goals were scored and the first half ended with the score 1-0.
“Playing out of the back was the biggest difference [in the second half],” Shanahan said.
Panther defender runs with the ball down the field while a member of the Wolfpack chases him. The Mill struggled on the defensive side in the first half, but stepped up that part of their game in the second half, creating two successful offensive pushes that resulted in goals, helping the team to a 3-0 victory.
The second half started just as intensely as the first, but the first goal did not come until the eighth minute. Anong scored the first goal of the half off of a free kick that the Woodland Stockbridge keeper could not stop. Shanahan followed quickly, scoring just minutes later. He ran into the right side of the box and hit the corner to send the ball past the keeper.
The remaining minutes of the second half brought no goals for either team. Both teams had many offensive pushes and shots on goal. Cole kept the Wolfpack at no goals by catching every shot sent his way.
“[At halftime I told the boys to] keep possession of the ball and keep the ball wide,” head coach Mike Hanie said. “[Woodland had] to cover more of the field instead of playing everything in the middle and having to dribble the ball in the middle.”
Starr’s Mill will face Thomas County Central, the No. 2 team from Region 1-AAAAA, in the Sweet Sixteen. The Yellowjackets are 10-3-1 this season, and finished 6-2 in their region. The two will face off on May 2 in Panther Stadium. The match begins at 5:30 p.m.
